New guinea impatiens plant named Balcelbupi

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct New Guinea impatiens cultivar named Balcelbupi, characterized by its large blush pink flowers, dark green foliage, compact upright and mounded habit and excellent basal branching.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The present invention comprises a new and distinct New Guinea impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Balcelbupi.

[0001] The new cultivar was developed by the inventor in a controlled breeding program during 1997 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new cultivars with numerous, large flowers, excellent basal branching and upright medium growth habit.

[0002] The female (seed) parent of Balcelbupi was Moorea (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,147) characterized by its compact growth habit, pure white flowers and medium green foliage. The male (pollen) parent of Balcelbupi was the proprietary Impatiens hawkeri cultivar designated 50-4 (non-patented) characterized by its compact habit, pink flowers and dark green foliage. Balcelbupi was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in December of 1997.

[0003] Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0004] It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:

[0005] (a) exhibits large round blush pink flowers,

[0006] (b) forms dark green foliage,

[0007] (c) exhibits a good basal branching character and

[0008] (d) exhibits a medium, upright mounded growth habit.

[0009] The new cultivar of the present invention can be compared to both its female parent Moorea and Celebration Blush White (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,538). When compared to Moorea it is found that the new cultivar has larger flowers, smaller leaves, longer internodes and shorter spur. When compared to Celebration Blush White, the new cultivar is more compact, has shorter internodes, smaller leaves and larger flowers of a darker pink color. A detailed comparison can be found in Table A.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

[0010] The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. The plants were grown in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] The Balcelbupi cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

[0012] The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values were determined on Aug. 30, 2000 between 1:00 and 1:45 p.m. under natural daylight conditions. The following measurments and describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in 10 cm pots under greenhouse conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice while utilizing a soilless growth medium and maintaining temperatures of approximately 72° F. during the day and approximately 65° F. during the night.

[0013] Classification:

[0014]Botanical.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Balcelbupi

[0015] Parentage:

[0016]Moorea (seed). times.—Proprietary seedling 50-4 (pollen).

[0017] Propagation:

[0018]Type cutting.—Terminal tip.

[0019]Time to Initiate Roots.—Approximately 7-14 days with the shorter times generally being experienced in the summer and the longer times in the winter.

[0020]Time to develop roots.—Approximately 21 days.

[0021]Rooting Habit.—Fibrous, branching.

[0022] Plant description:

[0023]Habit of Growth.—Moderately vigorous with good basal branching. A mature plant, 8 to 10 weeks after the planting of a rooted cutting, commonly measures approximately 18.4 cm in height and approximately 29 cm in width.

[0024]Plant Form.—Upright and mounded.

[0025]Foliage.—Shape: Lanceolate; acuminate apex; attenuate base; ciliate and serrate margin Texture: Smooth, slightly pubescent on upper surface only. Size of mature foliage: Approximately 6.8 cm in length; approximately 1.9 cm in width. Color of mature foliage: Upper surface is 139A, with mid vein lighter than 53D; Lower surface is 137C with veins of 53C Petiole: Length: approximately 6 mm, Color: 53D.

[0026]Stem.—Color 178A. Internode length: Approximately 5.2 CM.

[0027] Flower description:

[0028]Flowering Habit.—Freely flowering.

[0029]Natural Flowering Season.—Year round in greenhouse environment. Flowering is continuous from spring until fall in the garden.

[0030]Flowers Borne.—Above foliage arising from leaf axils.

[0031]Quantity of Flowers.—Approximately 1 flower and 4 buds per stem .

[0032]Flower Size.—Approximately 7.1 cm in diameter.

[0033]Flower buds.—Length: approximately 2.1 cm. Width: approximately 1.3 cm.

[0034]Petals.—Number: Five, overlapping. Size: Superior petal length-3.3 cm, superior petal width-5.2 cm; Lateral petal length-3.7 cm, lateral petal width-3.4 cm; Lower petal length-4.2 cm, lower petal width-4.3 cm. Shape: obcordate with emarginate apex attenuate base and entire margin. Texture: smooth and irridecsent.

[0035]Flower Color.—Light Pink. Upper surface of petals has a background of 73D with fine venation of 73B overall and bases of 73A forming an “eye”; lower surface has background of 73D, fine venation overall of 73B, midveins and bases of 61B.

[0036]Spur.—Length: Approximately 4.7 cm Color: 60B.

[0037]Peduncles.—Length approximately 4.3 CM.

[0038]Reproductive Organs.—Androecium: Five stamens, anthers are fused together forming one organ that surrounds the pistil. Generally, the anthers shed pollen prior to the stigma becoming receptive. The pollen color is 19D. Gynoecium: the stigma color is 154D the style color is 144A and the ovary color is 144A.

[0039]Seed development.—Seed production has not been observed.

[0040]Disease resistance.—Resistance to pathogens has not been observed. TABLE A CELEBRATION CHARACTERISTIC BALCELBUPI BLUSH WHITE MOOREA PLANT HEIGHT 18.4 CM 25.4 CM 13.5 CM INTERNODE LENGTH  5.2 CM  6 CM  2.5 CM FLOWER DIAMETER  7.1 CM  5.5 CM  6 CM FLOWER COLOR 73D; 73A; 75C 62D WITH 60C 155D ATTACHMENT SPUR COLOR 60B 134C 149D SPUR LENGTH  4.7 CM  4.5 CM  5.5 CM STEM COLOR 178A 134C 144A PETIOLE COLOR 184B 47A 149D MATURE LEAF 6.8 × 1.9 CM 8 × 3 8 × 3.5 LENGTH X WIDTH MATURE LEAF 139A with 53D 139A-VEINS 137A COLOR-UPPER SIDE 47A MATURE LEAF 137C-VEINS 138B 146B COLOR-LOWER SIDE 814B 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea impatiens named Balcelbupi substantially as herein shown and described, which: (a) exhibits large round blush pink flowers, (b) forms dark green foliage, (c) exhibits a good basal branching character and (d) exhibits an upright mounded growth habit. 